


Free Falling

by themetrocourt



Category: Days of Our Lives
Genre: Angst, F/M, Romance, Twins
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:47:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25494841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themetrocourt/pseuds/themetrocourt
Summary: He is not Stefan. She has truly lost the man she loved - yet here is she, standing in Jake's apartment wondering what the hell she has just done. A series of drabble that explore the complexity of Stefan/Gabi/Jake.
Relationships: Jake Lambert/Gabi Hernandez, Stefan DiMera/Gabi Hernandez
Comments: 4
Kudos: 6





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note: This little drabble is based on the way Days has been handling the whole Stefan/Jake storyline thus far. I am basing it off the premise that Jake is Stefan's twin. Currently it is a one shot but I would like to continue it and develop it into a more full length story if people are interested. Please let me know if you like it.

It is like throwing yourself off a cliff.

For a few blissful moments you feel weightless, wind rushing up at you and spreading an almost euphoric sensation throughout your body. Then the ground is there to meet you, your landing is hard, and it jolts you away from any pleasure you have been feeling.

When the end comes, Gabi just lays there, eyes unblinking as the ceiling comes into focus. It is grey and sterile - a perfect reminder that she shouldn't be here. _Especially like this._

She can hear his breath in her ear, sporadic and carefree ( _he is still falling_ ). Something in her reacts and she is pushing at his shoulders before she can think it through. She feels his muscles tense but he shifts so she can escape.

It isn't until she is hastily reaching for her clothing that he speaks.

"You really gonna just run off?"

Gabi's fingers tangle together in the fabric of her dress. She can't look at him yet. She can't see his face (hearing his voice is bad enough; gruff yet familiar in so many ways). She swallows back all the conflicting emotions, trying to exude an air of indifference as she throws the dress over her head, shimmying it down past her hips. "I have places to be."

Silence - too heavy not to notice the implications.

"You can't even look at me." There is something in his voice, a direct challenge that bristles her. He is calling her out and she has no choice but to meet him head on.

When Gabi turns she finds him sprawled across the bed, not bothering with his clothes. He appears to be still reveling in what they have just done, a lazy smile threatening to move across his lips. She nearly bites, nearly lashes out in such a way that even he (a man who is pretty much a complete stranger to her) can predict. "I am looking at you right now," she says in the end. Her words still have sharp edges but they are more restrained than she wants them to be. She can't let him do this. She can't let him get past her defenses to call this exactly what it is.

(she will do that to herself when she is good and free of him)

Jake finally stands, moving with ease around his space (she suddenly is glad that they are here; that it is his bed they have ruined). She forces herself to continue to look at him even as he proudly struts, her arms crossing over her chest. That grin comes now and her fingers itch to slap it away - an unreasonable response but she can hardly be expected to reason correctly in a moment like this.

If he knows he is playing with fire, he seemingly does not care. He moves close ( _too close_ and she wonders if she is about to fall all over again). His hand curls around her hip and it feels like it is burning through her dress. Branding her. She immediately revolts, pulling herself free.

She doesn't belong to him.

She belongs to Stefan.

The amusement falls away from Jake's face. "And there it is," he says, his voice quiet. "The other shoe dropping."

Gabi tilts her head to the side, her chin slightly elevated. She is desperately trying to save face here but it feels like he can see into her. Like he can take her apart piece by piece to see how she works with the same ease he does those scraps of metal below them. She doesn't like it. She doesn't want him to have that kind of power over her. He doesn't deserve it.

"Look, Gabi…"

"No," she says, cutting through whatever he is going to say with an air of authority. "We don't have to do this…" She can't bring herself to say his name. She knows he is not Stefan but she can't bring herself to call him Jake. Not in this moment. Tomorrow he will go back to being the brother of the man she had loved so fiercely, the man she would have burned Salem down to reclaim.

Right now he is the man she has just slept with.

The less she thinks about his connection to Stefan the better.

She suddenly finds herself remembering that day when they had stood where they are standing now and shook hands to seal a deal. A stupid one as it turns out - remaining celibate? Somewhere the universe is laughing at her. They now know just who he is. They had kept up their ridiculous bargain until an hour ago when he had looked at her and she broke into pieces.

(why did he have to look like _him_?)

She blames herself. She is heartbroken. Of course, she is going to crumble like she has. She wants to remember what it feels like to have her husband's mouth on her as his hands trace across her skin. Maybe, for one brief moment of weakness, she had thought he could help her remember.

But his mouth had tasted different. His hands hadn't taken the paths she had been craving.

But still she _fell_.

Now, she is on even ground, facing reality ( _facing him_ ).

"We can just forget this has even happened," she reasons, with the same fortitude she usually musters when she is desperate. She wants to plow through this messy aftermath and so they can go back to their separate corners.

Something shifts on his face and she can't read him (her first clue that none of this should have happened). He squares his jaw and nods his head. "Right, right." His shoulders roll in a shrug. "No problem really. I mean, things happen…"

(if she truly thinks on it, she can't refer to this moment as a simple _thing_ )

Gabi nods her head, seeing her out. She takes the thread he has handed her and pulls in an attempt to unravel any of the undertones they are trying to ignore ( _he looks just like Stefan, she is his brother's widow_ ). "They do - and we don't have to really think about them," she tells him. There is a hint of panic in her voice, like she is teetering on the same breakdown that had pushed her to come here again.

This time it pushes her to leave (she can't repeat the same mistake again). "Like I said, I have things to do and I sure you have a grease puddle to roll around in or something," she retorts, and there it is. Her sarcasm is back in full effect and she is quickly shielding herself with it. She grabs her purse from where she had dropped it the moment he carded his fingers through her hair.

Her retreat would be perfect if he hadn't reached out to grab her arm. She immediately narrows her eyes, looking down at where he grips her elbow. She has thought he is letting her go easily, choosing to forgo the worst of what could be said. Now she fears that he is going to pull her back into it. She can't let him. She is ready to fight ( and fight dirty if she has to).

Instead, he must take the look on her face as a warning. He loosens his fingers and she is able to pull away. For a moment, they just look at one another (he is so like Stefan, but not at the same time).

Then she is pulling open the door, and getting as far away from him as she can


	2. Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: If you like this, please let me know!

"How did you do it?"

Gabi is sitting at the desk, a slew of papers spread out in front of her. But she is not really reading them (oh how she has tried). Instead her eyes are fixed on the wall and her fingers aimlessly play with the gold band resting against her chest.

"Do you hear me?"

Something in her snaps, her body jolting as if she is coming to life to realize that she is no longer alone in the DiMera study. She takes a deep breath, knowing this conversation has been brewing since she had opened her eyes an hour earlier. She takes a deep breath, steeling herself for the onslaught. "Good morning, Chad." She hasn't even looked at him yet but she can feel the anger rolling off of him in waves. Good. Let him be angry. Let him rage and shout - it won't change a thing.

"Playing nice," Chad spits and she finally cocks her head enough to see the wild look in his eyes. He thinks he is a gentleman, the good DiMera. She wants to laugh - he fits in with his family _just fine_ no matter how much he wants to protest otherwise. "So how did you do it?"

Gabi finally stands, figuring she should meet him toe to toe. She has never been afraid of Chad. In fact, she finds these days that she rarely thinks of him (there are other things, other people that cloud her thoughts). "How did I take _GabiChic_ back? Is that what you are wondering?"

Chad nods his head, the movement jerky and quick.

"I know that you are still trying to get the hang of running DiMera Enterprises again but here is a little tip - a business has to be open to actually make money," she says, as if it the simple truth of the matter (in a way, it really is but there is more going on underneath and they both know it). "You shuttered _GabiChic_ because you wanted to stick it to me. Turns out revenge is not really a viable business strategy. The DiMera board agreed." She notes how his fingers curl into fists and his teeth clench. "But don't worry, Chad. You don't have to suffer through meetings with me. I am answering directly to Mr. Shin and his son. I am out of your hair - and as an added bonus, I am going to make you money."

"I don't know how you orchestrated all of this!" Chad's hand flies up, one finger outstretched accusingly in her face.

"You sound like a broken record," she points out and then shrugs her shoulders. She knows she is getting to him and she wishes that she could actually enjoy this moment. Instead it feels like cold comfort, a sort of consolation prize given how things have turned out. She doesn't get Stefan but she gets _GabiChic_ (truth be told, she doesn't like this trade; she would gladly give up her business for the man she loves). She turns back to the desk, gathering the papers together. They are carefully placed in her bag before she looks up at him again. "I had planned a quiet morning of strategizing but I doubt I will get that here. I am sure you'll want to call Mr. Shin. Go ahead. I think you'll find him quite satisfied with my plan to bring _GabiChic_ back to the forefront. In the meantime, I'll be the one actually working for a living." She gives him a smile (it's hollow and doesn't quite reach her eyes but it is enough to push him over the edge).

She leaves him to his anger, taking her hollow victory with her.

**X**

An hour later, her head full of numbers and a few sobering realities of what it will take to make her company viable again, Gabi stands in front of her boutique. She frowns at the mannequins, trapped in clothing from two seasons ago. She makes a mental note to showcase nothing but the best from here on out. She wants people to have no choice but to stop in, lured by the promise of high fashion in this dingy little town.

She is about to turn to go back into the store when she sees him. Her heart clenches painfully and she has to close her eyes to push back at it, determined not to let it level her when she should be standing tall (she hopes that Chad is still working himself into a tizzy at home).

It is a bit ironic really, catching sight of Jake's reflection in the glass.

After all, that is how she first laid eyes on him. A ghost from her past. She remembers the surge of confusion, of love, of _hope_. Now she feels none of those things. He has noticed her too and she knows that she can't avoid him forever.

That doesn't mean she hasn't tried over the last few days.

Gabi turns, ready to confront him head on. Funny how she feels more in battle mode with him than she had Chad. Maybe because Jake knows just what button to press (and how hard he can before she loses control of her senses). Maybe because she feels that she has more to lose when it comes to Jake.

"There you are," he says, his voice gruff. His accent twangs in her ear and she wonders how she could have ever thought he was Stefan in the first place (she had just wanted it so bad, she reasons). "I was beginning to think that you were avoiding me."

Her mouth presses into a thin line, noting how close he is to her now. He doesn't have to be; he chooses to be. She is beginning to think Jake Lambert knows just what he is doing (she can't hate him for it). "I told you, I had things to do." Taking back her company takes time (and is the perfect distraction from her mess of a personal life). "You look like you have been busy too." There is a smudge of something on his face, probably oil. She can't help herself. Before she thinks it through, she reaches forward and runs her thumb over it, effectively transferring it from him to her. She only realizes what she has done when she sees the way his eyes change. Something stirs in them and she tells herself she has to be careful. The line they are walking to so thin.

It is all she can do to pull her hand back without acting like she is burned.

Gabi lets her arm fall limply to her side, careful not to let her fingers brush against the delicate fabric of her clothing and then shakes her head. "If I ruin this dress, it'll be my fault."

"That's a first," Jake quips and only continues when she gives him a look. "You blaming yourself for your own messes."

She makes a face, narrowing her eyes to let him know just what she thinks. He doesn't shrink under her look (she finds that she likes that about him). "You think you're so funny," she tells him with a shake of her head. "I suppose a man who fixes cars for a living has to have a good sense of humor…"

"...as opposed to someone who designs pretty dresses."

That gives her feathers a good ruffle. "I don't just design…" She sputters. "I curate collections to allow people to live their best life, the life they deserve…"

Jake holds up his hands in surrender, a hint of sly grin at the corners of his mouth. "Hey, hey, hey," he drawls. "No need to dress me down in front of the entire town."

His words, said in jest, cause her to look beyond just the two of them. They are definitely not alone in Horton Square (no matter how much it feels like they are). People are going about their day but some are casting them a sideways glance. Gabi wonders what they see when they look - the town pariah with the twin brother of her dead husband. Do they know that they have slept together? Do they sense the pain and desperation that drove her to that moment in the first place?

Probably not.

There are very few people in Salem that are willing to see her, _truly see her_ , faults and all. They only see what they want to see - so right now they are no doubt thinking that it doesn't matter which brother Gabi has, as long as she has her claws into the DiMera fortune.

She suddenly wants to be anywhere but there. "Look, I still have a lot of work to do to get my company back in working order," she tells him and she is already looking for cover. She finds it in her store. She slips inside and before he can follow her (if that is his intention), she locks the door.

She looks up to see that he is still standing there, his hands now shoved in his pockets. The look he gives her says it all - he is not just going to go away.

And she can't avoid him forever.


	3. Part 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your continued support. One thing I like about writing fanfic is that I can envision Salem to be an actual town with space to do things properly. Therefore GabiChic's store is a lot bigger than it looks on TV.

"Be careful with those!"

Her voice bounces off the walls and she lurches forward as if the stemware falling to the floor is a foregone conclusion. Fortunately for her, the man holding them knows what he is doing and he is easily able to shift his weight to avert disaster.

(again)

That is how she is feeling right now - like she is one misstep from complete disaster.

There is a lot riding on this after all.

It isn't even Gabi's idea - this is all the brainchild of Li Shin. She, of course, has gone along with it because she believes it is a show of faith on the part of the DiMera board. If they are willing to invest money in a relaunch party of _GabiChic_ , she has an obligation to put on a good show.

She has spent a better part of a week putting it all together, overseeing every detail from temporarily changing the layout of what she hopes is her flagship store to the playlist. She knows the staff brought on to make this happen are sick of her sticking her nose in every corner but when _GabiChic_ is doing fast business once again, they will get it.

She is snug in a burgundy cocktail dress, its lace hem brushing against the back of her thighs. Everything else, from her hair, to her makeup, to the shoes on her feet, have been carefully chosen to compliment the dress but not overpower it. So when Li not so subtly looks her up and down before praising her appearance, she can't help but feel her first victory of the night. "I am glad you think so. This dress is going to be the centerpiece of the _GabiChic_ fall fashion line," she tells him as she carefully runs a hand down her center.

"A good choice."

Gabi wonders how much a man like Li Shin really understands about fashion or if he just appreciates a beautiful woman in a dress. Either way, she continues to have his vote of confidence and that is all that matters.

Soon the store begins to fill with invited guests (carefully chosen of course; she wants to fill the limited space with people who will not only like what they see but spread it far and wide via social media). She ensures that she is the one to greet each and everyone of them with a smile, even Chad who no doubt is there because in the end, it is his company that is overseeing this. "Welcome to the new and **improved** _GabiChic_."

Chad is deadpanned. "Where is the alcohol?"

Gabi doesn't let his dour face bring her down. "Get blitzed, I don't care. It's your dime after all," she reminds him in a sing-song voice before moving on to the next person.

Thankfully all her planning is paying off. She moves through the crowd, eavesdropping as casually as she can. There is a buzz in the air and she has great faith that it will translate to sales. Even though she answers to the Shins, she can't help but want to shove the upcoming season's profits right in Chad's face (she sends a quick glance in his direction, noting that even after a few glasses of whiskey he still looks about as much fun as a cactus).

She does spot a familiar (and supportive) face. Her personal plus one. She figures she has played hostess enough for now. She can take a moment or two for herself. She slips through a group looking at framed sketches of upcoming designs and grins as she reaches Sonny's side. She leans up and plants a kiss on his cheek. "Thanks for coming," she says as she snakes her arm through his. "It's nice to see a face I know."

"You mean you don't…"

She shakes her head. "I only know their instagram follower count and trust me, that's all that matters." She shrugs her shoulders as if that is how business is done nowadays (and she reckons she is not that far off). Then she changes the subject to one that is more meaningful to the both of them. "How is Ari doing? I feel bad that I haven't seen her much - this week has been hectic with the party and…" And she has spent far too much of her downtime picking through her personal life to find something salvageable. She nearly laughs to herself, knowing that she is looking at a huge chunk of that. Her daughter, Sonny, Will - she should be spending more time with them instead of locking herself away. She is forever grateful to them for being so understanding.

"She definitely misses you," Sonny tells her. "But she told me to make sure that I get a picture of her mommy tonight in her pretty dress."

Gabi smiles. "I come over tomorrow," she decides. "We can play by the pool, have a picnic. A family day." She nods her head as if it is the best idea she has had in awhile (it just might be; she aches to see her daughter's smile and the normalcy it brings).

"I think that is a perfect idea," Sonny quickly agrees.

She spends as much time as she can with Sonny, seeing as how he has been invited solely because of his connection to her (she doubts Sonny even cares enough to have an instagram account). In the end, she leaves his side to avert a crisis. The makeshift bar is running low on supplies.

"I got it," she announces, overruling someone who no doubt has been hired for just that task. She feels better if she does it herself. Once again, she is on the warpath, zipping in and out of the modest crowd to make her way to the back of the store and officially behind the scenes. The rest of the alcohol has been neatly placed on a shelf and she scans it with a critical eye. There is no sense in bringing it all out; it is about anticipating what will work best to keep the night flowing as it is. In the end, she reaches for a bottle of sparkling wine and when she turns back she finds that she is not alone.

"Gabi…"

She lets out a shriek of surprise (one that is thankfully swallowed up by her tasteful playlist). The bottle slips out of her fingers but is caught deftly by him. She has to give herself a minute because standing here as he is, dressed carefully in a suit, hair combed to the side, she thinks she is looking at her husband.

"What are you doing here?" she breathes, aware that her heart is pounding against her chest. In many ways she feels like she is looking at a ghost but she knows if she reaches out he will be very, very real.

"I figured you were just going to keep running around in circles to avoid me so I thought I would come to a place where you can't make a quick escape. It would look pretty bad if the belle of the ball ran out the door before midnight, don't you think?" Jake points out with a self satisfied snort, as if he finally has gotten one over on her. He extends the bottle which she snatches out of his hand to set on the nearest flat surface.

" _Por Dios_ ," Gabi hisses. "You weren't on the list."

"I have my ways," he shoots back. He then extends his arms. "At least I made sure I fit in. You like it?"

It's like he is taunting her now (her fingers itch to wipe that smirk off his face). She does her best to remain passive, letting her eyes travel over the suit. "It's probably better from far away. Up close, it doesn't fit like it should," she tells him casually. She then reaches out to give his tie a tug, bringing the knot up closer to his Adam's apple. "And you seriously need to learn how to tie a tie. But at least you're not covered in grease."

"So, you're not going to throw me out?"

"Oh, I am throwing out," Gabi says with an exaggerated nod. "But at least you'll look half decent as you go."

"Come on, Gabi," Jake says and steps to the side when she tries to exit to make good on her threat. "Are you sure you want to ruffle those feathers? I bet that will look good on everyone's Facebook feeds."

"First of all, it's instagram. Only old ladies and soccer moms use Facebook anymore and they certainly aren't my target audience," Gabi corrects. She feels like she is on the run but she is not sure from what yet. It doesn't help that he isn't dressed in his usual grease covered clothing. Showing up here dressed like that has effectively battered her defenses. "Secondly, this is a bit much, don't you think? It wasn't that long ago that you were begging me to leave you alone and now that I have, you're suddenly annoyed that I am avoiding you?"

"I'm a man of contradictions."

"You're _some_ thing."

They both lapse into silence, the first round of volleys effectively landed.

She suddenly finds that her storage room is too small, what with all her stock and the combined ego of the two of them. She has promised herself that she wouldn't be alone with him again - experience has proven that it only leads to trouble. How the hell can she keep that promise if he is going to barge into places he does not belong?

"All I want to do is talk," Jake finally says, his voice softer now.

Gabi shakes her head, her bottom lip sucking into her mouth for a split second. "That's not all you want…" She is not wrong. It's not their egos that is sucking the air of the room. She is very aware of how her body is reacting to him and she curses herself for being so weak (although maybe she should be given a reprieve given that he has dressed to set her up in the first place).

Jake finally nods his head, a quick movement that he follows with a step or two in her direction. "You're right," he concedes. His eyes move over her, ending on her face. If he sees the distinct mixture of lust and panic he does not call her out on it. "I don't know what it is about you…"

She thinks she knows the answer. At least on her end. She calls herself every name she can think of as she closes the space between them. There is no first move - they simply crash together, his hands closing around her hips and hers tangling in his jacket. Their mouths meet and it is fast and furious. A build up of the last week. She pours all her conflicting emotions into the kiss, clenching her fingers into a fist as she does so. She should push him away. She should tell him to get the hell out.

Instead she deepens the kiss.

Not that he minds. He responds by slowing things down despite her attempts to derail the idea. She finds herself softening, her body falling to his and her hands flattening out against the back of his neck. Despite everything in her that is telling her this will do nothing to help her wounded soul, she gives herself over to it fully.

(she is in so much trouble)


	4. Part 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is my next installment. I hope you are enjoying my little fic. I would love to hear it if you are!

"Mom, watch this!"

Before Gabi can even react, Arianna is flying through the air, tucking her knees in as she goes. The resulting splash is big enough to spray everyone on the edge of the pool with cold water. Even though she is dressed for a swim herself, Gabi lets out a screech. The sound delights Arianna, who resurfaces with cackling laughter.

(she is going to be so much trouble when she is a teen; Gabi knows this already)

Gabi shakes herself off and then glances over at Will and Sonny. The corners of her mouth turn upward, and she and Arianna now wear matching expressions. If the pair know they are in trouble they don't let on. "Arianna, mi pequeno corazon, I don't think Daddy Will and Daddy Sonny are wet enough…" It is all she has to say. She then slides on her sunglasses and lays back on her lounger, content to listen to the sounds of protests and splashing.

Her work here is done.

She is glad that they actually followed through on the Saturday pool party idea. They really don't spend enough time together. Their daughter never lacks for love and attention - but moments like this - all three of them...they should do it more often. She thinks about how she grew up, surrounded by love (sure it all went off the rails at some point but she still remembers the love). She wants that for Arianna even if she can't be the one to give her a brother or sister (she has high hopes for Will and Sonny in that regard).

She lets the sun warm her skin, drying off her daughter's attempts to soak her and lulling her into a state of relaxation. She doesn't realize it but her defenses are slowly dropping and the one thing that has been floating around behind the barriers her mind insists on putting up about to come slamming to the forefront. A little reminder that life is not always as neat as a blissful afternoon with your loved ones.

__

It takes the sound of laughter to finally bring her back to her senses. Gabi's eyes fly open and there he is. Jake. He fills her vision, looking confused as to why she has ended their kiss. His fingers curl against her as if he is ready to hold on for dear life should she pull away.

She pushes at him instead, forcing him to be the one to take a step back.

"What the hell?" he growls and it is clear from the state of him that he is still caught between fantasy and reality. He hasn't considered their surroundings, the implication of doing this again.

But she has. And quickly.

With a glance over her shoulder where the crowd thankfully remains blissfully unaware, Gabi takes a deep breath. She is thankful that she still has some sense in her (even as her body longs to just fall into him again). "We can't do this," she points out quickly, a hand smoothing over her dress (the prize of the new GabiChic collection). " **I can't do this**."

Jake blinks and she can see he is finally coming back to the time and place. His lips turn into a scowl. "You're going to run again, aren't you?"

"Of course I am not going to run," she shoots back, clearly annoyed that he is trying to goad her by calling her a coward. "I have an entire launch party to oversee. I can't just disappear for a quickie in the backroom…" When he appears like he is going to protest she holds up a finger. "Besides, I already told you - once and done. We said we were going to forget this."

"You said it," he clarifies.

She is in no mood to argue with him. Her body is on fire and she desperately wants to let that dress pool at her feet and forget the idea of forgetting. But she can't give into that side of her. In the end, she is just putting herself in the middle of something she has no business being in.

She doesn't answer in the end. She just gives him a look, grabs her bottle and makes a hasty exit.

Gabi's eyes fly open and she sits up on the lounger. It is an abrupt change in mood and the rest of the people around the pool turn to glance at her. She forces a smile. "All done swimming, Ari?" she asks, her voice quick and words over pronounced. She notices the way both Will and Sonny look at her.

****

Busted.

She gets up, grabbing a towel as she goes. Arianna finds herself wrapped up tightly as Gabi rubs her arms up and down, ensuring that she doesn't catch a chill (impossible on this hot day but busy hands may stave off two inquisitive looks).

"Ari, why don't you go get changed out of your wet bathing suit before we have our picnic?" Sonny suggests.

Nope, she is not wiggling out of this.

Still, it doesn't stop her from trying.

"I can help," Gabi says.

Ari stops to give her mother a look. "I am not five anymore." There is a roll of her eyes that is pure Gabi (yep, so much trouble when she hits puberty).

The moment their daughter disappears into the Kiriakis mansion both Sonny and Will turn to look at her, faces full of expectation. She goes as far as crossing her arms in return, a clear battle of the wills going on.

( _we can't do this_ )

"I slept with Jake," she blurts out suddenly and unexpectedly even to her. Her eyes widen and she claps a hand over her open mouth, afraid that the rest of it will spill out without her meaning it too. She watches the pair of them, seeing how they look at each other and then back to her. She is horrified that she has given it up so easily (because she has wanted to tell someone all along, and she knows it).

"Gabi…"

"I know, I know," she says, feeling like she has to go on the defense. "He's not Stefan. You don't have to tell me again that he is not Stefan…" She has heard it so much that she thinks she should be numb to the words by now but in truth, they still cut her deeply. She thinks that it is a wound that will never heal (of course fate is that cruel to her - to give her all that false hope only to steal it back just as quickly).

"Good," Sonny says with a nod of his head.

"But he just looks so much like him," Gabi continues unabated and she is furious with herself now. She knows it is better out than in and she needs to hear herself say these things aloud to understand just how they sound but still, she wishes she could keep a secret or two to herself at the moment.

The way Will looks at her, features softening, has her putting up her hands as if she will shove away any attempt at physical contact. "Oh, no, no, I don't want your pity," she spits, feeling that familiar fire in her come roaring to life. She will go down in flames if it means she can avoid the two of them smothering her with sympathy. One finger points at the pair of them, especially when she sees Sonny slip into a similar stance. "I know it is not logical - and it's messed up. I know these things. I don't need you to tell me that."

"Gabi…"

"It only happened once and that was a mistake. I told him that," she reasons. She intends to dance circles around them until they give up. She has done it before. She knows the game plan when it comes to these two. "So really, I have already fixed this mistake. I mean, yes, we kissed at the _GabiChic_ launch party but I ended it before it turned into anything else. I can control myself. I am not some weak kneed teenager…"

"Gabi…"

"I mean…"

"Will you just be quiet for a moment and let one of us speak?!" Will cries, throwing his hands up. There is a moment's pause where all three of them look around to ensure that no one else has heard them (most of all, their daughter who blessedly is taking her sweet time in getting changed).

Gabi opens her mouth, perhaps to continue her defense or to argue against Will's question but falls silent instead. It is the better option at this point. It is obvious that they have something to say and she should just let them get it over with.

Will actually looks relieved and then he glances to Sonny. Gabi suddenly understands that this is more than her revelation. This is something that they have talked about prior to her spilling her guts poolside. She is suddenly ready to scream over top of them once more.

"I...well, I guess we were thinking," Will begins and his body language is passive. Years of dealing with her has taught him well. "We are worried about you, Gabi. It's not just Jake...it's everything. The last few years have been a lot to handle for you…"

"And you've been trying to do it all on your own," Sonny adds. "Which is nearly impossible, even for someone as strong as you."

Gabi feels like she needs to hold her breath until they come out with it. She has no idea where they are going and she wants to be ready for all possibilities. She hates being caught off guard. She is used to being ten steps ahead at this point. It is the only way she has kept her head above water since Stefan died.

"There is nothing wrong with asking for help," Sonny continues. "When I lost Will I just held it all in for the longest time. That got me nowhere, believe me."

She knows. She had watched Sonny crumble from the outside and hated every second of it. Her features fall, knowing that she has forced them to do the same to her. "I'll do better," she promises even though she knows it is not enough.

They are not done.

"Maybe you should consider talking to my grandmother," Will suggests.

Gabi nods her head as if that has been the next natural thing to come out of their mouths. They want her to get her head shrunk. "I'm not crazy…"

Will shakes his head immediately. "No, no," he says, holding his hands up in a gesture of peace. "We don't think you are. You are hurting. You lost Stefan - and you loved him so much. That is going to leave a hell of hole, Gabi. That kind of thing doesn't heal easily and let's face it...maybe you haven't coped in the best of ways."

What can she say to that? She had nearly blown up Stefan's heart.

She is quiet, probably too quiet for their liking. They are so used to her barging in and leaving destruction in her wake. She would like to do that now. She would like to give them a multitude of reasons why this conversation is not needed.

But she knows it is long overdue instead.

She simply nods and they both visibly relax. She is not promising them anything - they all know that. But the fact that she has listened, has taken in what they said and is going to let it bounce around that head of hers is enough for now.

When Arianna re-emerges, full of energy and laughing, the three of them thank the higher powers that they were given those few minutes to have the conversation in the first place. Arianna throws her arms around Gabi's midsection, nearly knocking her off balance with her zeal. She tips her head back to look up at her mother. For a moment she seems to consider what she sees and then she is frowning. "Are you okay? You look like you are going to cry."

Gabi forces a smile and then leans down to press a kiss to her daughter's forehead. "I just love you. That's all."


	5. Part 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you are enjoy this fic as much as I love writing it and exploring what I would have liked to see between Jake and Gabi (with the ghost of Stefan floating around in the background). Also for the purposes of this story, the DiMera mansion is not a bed and breakfast to half the town. Currently the only ones living here are Gabi, Chad and the kids.

She's exhausted. She should just really pull back the covers of her bed and crawl in jewelry and all. She would like to say that it is the happy kind of tired, one that comes from a day of hard work. Some of it is. Now that _GabiChic_ has officially reopened and is doing brisk business, she is doing what she can to keep showing the Shins that their faith in her is warranted. But at the same time, she has been carrying some of this exhaustion with her since the night she woke to the news that Stefan had been shot.

Gabi fears that it may never leave her.

She sinks down at the desk, her hand following a familiar path to open the top drawer. From it she pulls the picture of Stefan. She hears his wedding ring rattle around the bottom of the drawer and she can't help but pull that free too. Her hand closes around it and she holds on tight as she sets the photo down. Her fingers trace over the lines of his face and she thinks if she concentrates hard enough she can remember what the real thing feels like.

(does tracing her fingers over Jake's face count?)

She forces herself to shove away the intrusive thought. Stefan doesn't deserve it. He doesn't deserve his wife comparing his brother to him. She is practically trampling all over Stefan's grave.

Maybe she should see Marlena.

Gabi had hoped that telling Will and Sonny the truth would help. Sort of like confession - set it free and set yourself free. But instead she feels like she has made the problem bigger. She has cast out the part of it that has made her feel like she is keeping some dirty little secret but now she is left with the guilt, the confusion...and yes, the grief. Will and Sonny had been spot on in that regard.

She has never mourned Stefan properly.

She doesn't feel like she has had the chance. She remembers laying her head on his chest in that hospital room, trying her best to wrap her head around the idea that he was not coming back to her even when his heart beat loudly in her ears. Maybe she would have gotten there if she hadn't been bombarded by people who wanted to cut him open and take the one part of him she could still feel. That twisted something inside of her, stunted her grief and has left her stuck in so many ways.

Marlena probably has seen it before (she seems to have seen it all before). She will know how to get Gabi to backtrack and go through the steps properly. She already knows it will be painful and part of her shys away from that (because she has experienced a lifetime of pain already; she shouldn't be welcoming more). But she owes it to Stefan to mourn him properly.

More importantly, she owes it to herself.

She leaves the photo on the desk, deciding it is not right to shove it in a drawer somewhere to pretend it doesn't exist until she wants it to. The ring is placed carefully next to it. She reaches up to touch her own, pressing it to her chest.

A light knock at her door pulls her out of her current state.

Gabi sighs, knowing she can't ignore it. She is the only one in the house at the moment, with Chad off to see Abby and the kids with their grandparents. She stares longingly at her bed for a moment and then moves to open it. It is no surprise to find Harold standing there. "Good evening," she says and forces a smile.

"I am sorry to disturb you, Mrs. DiMera but there is a guest downstairs asking to see you," he says and she already knows who it is.

_Jake._

Her first instinct is to tell Harold to explain that Mrs. DiMera is currently sleeping but she rejects it. She doesn't want to give Jake any ammunition to say she is running away from him. He may just decide to pull another surprise ambush like he did the night of the _GabiChic_ party.

(unconsciously her hand moves from her wedding ring to her lips as their kiss plays behind her eyes)

"I'll be right there," she informs Harold stiffly. He nods his head and leaves her to gather her wits about her.

She finds Jake standing in the expansive living room, staring up at the infamous painting of Stefano. He has his hands stuffed in the pockets of his leather jacket (she doesn't know why she thought he would come in a suit; maybe her mind is too clouded right now). He turns his head slightly, smiling when he sees her. Then he jerks his thumb towards the portrait. "Do you think I look like the old man?"

Gabi shakes her head, the answer automatic. "No, you're much more…" She trails off when she realizes the word that is on the tip of her tongue.

Jake gives her his full attention now, his smile morphing into more of a devious grin. "What? Handsome? _Sexy_?"

She curls her nose up. "Did you come here to get your ego stroked?"

"I was thinking more on the lines of something else…"

She is quick to raise her hand, finger pointing ramrod straight in his direction. "Don't even finish that sentence," she tells him forcefully. "I will have you thrown out on your ass so fast."

"Mad looks good on you," Jake counters. "Then again, I am beginning to realize that anything does at this point." He is standing under the painting now creating a strange juxtaposition that churns up something inside of Gabi. He seems so rough around the edges, far from the polished image that painting, the house and the DiMera name seem to represent.

(she likes that, she realizes, because she is rough around the edges herself)

"Did you come here to pick a fight, Jake?" she asks and her arms cross over her chest defensively. "Because truthfully, I am way too tired for this. Can you come back in the morning? I will pencil you in and everything…" She doesn't mind that she is exposing a weak spot that he could choose to push on. She is counting on him to have some humanity instead (she knows it is in there; she's seen it).

Jake falls silent and she knows that she has pushed on his weak spot instead. "I don't want to fight," he admits and rubs the back of his neck with his hand. "I…well, I missed you. You sort of ran out on me the other night."

"Not this again," Gabi says and throws her hands up in the air. "I had a party to host."

"I know, I know," Jake replies and nods his head. "You had good reason and I was kind of an ass for crashing like I did…"

"Kind of?"

"Okay, full on an ass."

Gabi actually manages a smile. It is not one of triumph like it should be. It is more soft, more amused. "At least you finally admit it," she says. She turns to survey the living room, her eyes sweeping over the chess board and landing on the wet bar. "Drink?"

"If you're having one," Jake answers.

"I am." She decides she needs it to give her that one final push before she closes the door on him and is able to climb into her bed for the night. She pours them each a liberal amount of alcohol, ignoring the way he looks at his glass with a skeptical eye. She waits until she has had her first sip before she decides she has to ask a question she really shouldn't want to know the answer too. "Why do you miss me?"

Jake is caught off guard (or at least that is what plays across his face). He holds his glass a few inches from his mouth, eyeing her in a way that tells her he is thinking each word carefully. "C'mon, Gabi, you should know the answer to that."

She decides she likes to see him squirm so she shakes her head. "No, I don't. I have very vivid memories of you telling me that I need to get out of your face when you first showed up in Salem. Now you miss me."

"You gotta look at it from my perspective. This lady shows up claiming I'm some dead guy and we're married? I think I reacted pretty sanely for anyone in that situation," Jake defends. He must see that she is not at all impressed with his answer (more specifically his choice of words, Stefan is not just _some dead guy_ ) because he is quick to continue. "But now that I have had a chance to take a breath...something I think we both needed, I realize that you're someone worth knowing. Bit loud and pushy…"

"Hey!"

"Don't pretend I'm not right," he is quick to shoot back. Then his features soften. "You're a fighter - and you're not afraid to get into the dirt to make sure you come out on top. I can tell you've had to do that for a while now. On some people that wouldn't be a good look but for some reason, it just...it helps you shine."

She furrows her brows. It is rare for people to see past her suit of armor. She is okay with that most times but still it is nice for someone else to understand (the last person who did - well, that goes without saying). "So now you like that I am scrappy?"

Jake nods his head. "I'm scrappy too. Could be the reason we keep butting heads. But it's more than that. You have a good heart. People probably miss that about you because you do whatever it is that you do to push them away. But you can't fool me." He laughs a little and takes a rather impressive swig of his drink. "Plus, you're _hot_. I mean, that's the obvious one. Figured I would stick it in at the end for good measure."

Gabi can't help but laugh at his attempt to answer her question. She actually thinks he has done a decent job at it. "So you miss me…"

"You miss me too."

She doesn't argue. She doesn't know if she just doesn't have it in her at the moment or if she knows that she is destined to lose that one. Because it is true. She does miss him. She doesn't want to put herself in the position where she has to explain why. The answer is far more complicated than either of them are ready to hear at the moment (she _really_ should see Marlena).

With no protests, they come together as if they have been planning it all along. She folds into his arms easily, her mouth finding his. This isn't the frantic kind of kissing like the other night. It is more soft, accepting. She feels his hands move carefully over her, as if asking silent permission and not wanting to push her too far. She feels a measure of control that she hasn't before. This is when she can pull away and tell him to leave. He will go without argument, she knows that.

And because she does, she wants him to stay.

He is the one that pulls her towards the staircase and the bedroom that waits for them. She takes a few steps before she remembers how she has carefully set Stefan's photo on the desk. She can't do that to him. She can't bring Jake into the bed they once shared. She grounds her feet, halting their progress. Jake gives her a questioning look and she simply pulls him back into the living room. She falls back on the couch and he is quick to follow suit, looming over her before dipping his head to take her mouth once more.

(she is suddenly infinitely glad that Harold is the only other soul in the house)


	6. Part 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the love! It makes my day!

Li Shin is into her.

Gabi is kicking herself for not realizing it before. Of course, he has admired her body. She has assets that she knows she uses to her advantage. She sees no shame in that. She may have been naive at one point but the business world is dirty and she has to fight if she wants to stay in the ring. She has caught Li looking at her but now she is realizing that it goes beyond tracing her curves.

Maybe she has overplayed her hand. Or maybe she just isn't used to this kind of thing. She thinks of her last few relationships and realizes that they just sort of fell in together. There is no preamble, no courting (the word sounds foreign and antiquated to her). One moment she had been single and the next she was wrapped up around a man. Maybe she has been doing it wrong all along because she stands in the middle of the DiMera living room, looking at the flower arrangement and all its gorgeous colors like it is a bomb.

Finally, she takes a deep breath and finishes opening the card. She already knows they are from Li. She has recognized the messy way he scrawls her name over the white envelope. She is quick to read the note inside. A congratulations for the successful relaunch of GabiChic - and a hope that they can have dinner some time to celebrate it properly. She stands there, card dangling from her fingers as she contemplates what to do next. She can't help but lean in a little and take in the fragrant smell of the blooms. They are sweet but not overpowering. He has chosen well.

Should she say yes?

Gabi knows one thing for certain; she is not going to sleep her way to the top. She may be okay with flirting, sending a smile at just the right time, laughing at a joke that usually falls flat otherwise but she is never okay with giving up her body like that. She has too much self respect (and she only thinks of her daughter in moments like that). Maybe she is overthinking this. Maybe that is not Li's expectation at all. Maybe it is just what it says on paper: an invitation to celebrate her hard work.

She will let it play around in her head for the rest of the day, she decides. She sets the card at the base of the arrangement and turns back to find Chad standing there. If she hadn't already been on edge, this would have been the perfect reason to step towards it. She takes a deep breath, chin tipping back. "Chad," she begins with as much gusto as she can muster. "Welcome back from Florida. I would ask how Abigail is but I just don't care." That is not entirely true. This is still a strange pull towards her old friend, a thought here and there that things could have been different if they had just turned left instead of right at some point on their path to absolute destruction.

Chad doesn't bother with the barb. He instead turns his attention to the flowers. He immediately breaks into a smile, a smug one at that (her fingers itch to wipe it away). "Kind of him to send flowers the morning after," he remarks.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, Gabi, don't play coy," Chad says and he steps fully into the living room. "Harold told me that we had an extra guest last night." He looks so pleased with himself, as if he has caught Gabi in some extravagant lie instead of rolling around in the hay with his newly minted brother.

"Harold should remember which one of us actually signs his paychecks," Gabi seethes. She doesn't need Chad's commentary on what is happening between her and Jake. She barely understands it herself. Chad won't make things any clearer; instead he will muddy the waters further with his snark.

"Don't be too hard on the guy," Chad continues. "He is getting older, you know. And he has always been loyal to the DiMera's. The _blood_ DiMera's that is." He shrugs his shoulders and then looks to the flowers. "So, those from him? I have to say they are pretty sophisticated looking for a mechanic. I would have expected gas station daisies. I've underestimated my brother."

"You always do," she snaps and then sighs. "Actually, they're not from Jake." Before she can tell him that her personal life is just that, Chad is crossing the space to scoop up the card. He turns his back to her even as she reaches out to snatch it back.

"Oh, I see how it is," Chad says and there is a level of disgust in his voice that has her wanting to recoil. She forces herself to stand tall instead. She is not going to let him do this to her. "Sleeping with Li Shin too. That's a good way to put yourself on the warpath to my job."

She sees red behind her eyes. Before she can think of the consequences she is reaching out and bringing her palm against his cheek. It is hard enough to send his face reeling to the side. She uses his moment of surprise to rip her card back. "You're disgusting, Chad," she tells him and her chest is heaving thanks to her shot of adrenaline. "So damn disgusting. You're married. You have a daughter. You should respect women enough not to make that kind of accusation."

"I don't respect you," Chad says even as his hand comes up to rub at his smarted skin.

"Oh that much is obvious," she retorts immediately. "But I think you would do well to remember who legally owns this house. You are living here by my good will and comments like that? Well, they whittle away at any patience I have with you. I am this close…" And she shoves her hand in his face, thumb and pointer finger nearly on top of one another. "...to throwing you out. Which means uprooting the kids too. Usually I am as tolerant as I can be of you because of Thomas and Charlotte but there is only so much I can take." She does not want to hear any of his attempts to come back from what she has just thrown at him (because she knows better than to expect an apology). Instead, she grabs her purse on top of the chessboard where she has left it. "I have work to do. So do you. While you were away, DiMera business has piled up. Take care of it so I still have a parent company to answer to."

She leaves him like that, hopefully still wincing in more ways than one.

**X**

"I just think that with Fall, we have to walk a fine line," she explains to the newest employee of the _GabiChic_ store (what was her name again? Laura? Lauren?). "There is something to be said for cozy sweaters and rich colors but we have to be careful not to make the front window look like Thanksgiving threw up all over it. Get rid of the leaf garlands. Maybe just one of those fake pumpkins. Got it?" Laura Lauren nods her head in agreement and Gabi promises herself that she will know her name properly before she leaves the store at the end of the day.

For now, she disappears into the back of the store where she has managed to set up a little office. She sits down behind the computer and dives in. For the next few hours, she answers emails, goes over inventory statistics and checks in on the online shop. They are doing brisk business and will soon outgrow their little operation. She expects that the Shins will be tripping themselves to help her cast her net wider. She is ready to ship beyond the midwest. She knows she can capture the attention of both the east and west coast. And over the borders too. Just give her half the chance.

She is interrupted by a knock and looks up to see Laura (it is Laura, she has checked the payroll) standing there. "Did you fix the front window?" she asks and when Laura nods, she can't help but look at her employee expectantly.

"Someone's here to see you," she explains. "Should I let him in?"

Jake. She just knows it. Gabi is getting good at this game. She gives it a second or two (in which she still manages to have a quick flash to her crawling into his lap the night before) and then nods her head. "Sure. Thanks, Laura."

Laura smiles and she is quickly replaced in the doorway by Jake. He is fresh from the mechanic's shop, she can tell. Despite being haphazardly tucked into his pants, his work shirt is open with one sleeve rolled up. There is grease smeared on his arm and she sincerely hopes that he has not touched any of her merchandise before he came back here. Despite his appearance (and how startlingly un-Stefan it is), she can't help but be happy to see him.

A change of pace for the both of them, maybe.

Jake holds up a takeout cup. "Coffee from the bistro. I figured that a hard working girl like you might need a boast." He sets it on her desk like an offering. She can feel the comment that comes before he says it. "Especially seeing that she didn't get much sleep last night." He grins, wide and full of teeth.

Gabi narrows her eyes. A warning that she is not to be played with (because there is some truth to his words; she is exhausted). "You're not nearly as funny as you think you are," she tells him and yet she takes the coffee. One sip tells her that he remembers how she takes it. He is learning. She is not sure that is necessarily a good thing.

"Yeah, I know. My _talents_ lie elsewhere," he teases. He flops down into the chair across from her and she suddenly sees the action as a perfect metaphor for him. He has just shown up uninvited and sprawled himself over her life. As much as she wants to push him away, she is already learning forward and shaking her head. He is riling her up and she is letting him. "You can't argue with that."

"You didn't hear me trying," she tells him, conceding that there is some truth in the words. She knows she shouldn't be comparing. Stefan and Jake are two different people. She only has to look at the way they each have touched her to prove it. Jake certainly knows what he is doing but he is rough around the edges in a way that Stefan had never been. She almost shakes her head physically, as if she can push away the way her brain keeps wanting to make comparison charts. She is better than that. "So…" She is desperate to change the subject. "What are you doing here?"

"I needed a break," he explains as if that is all he needs to say to make it make sense. When he sees the look on her face he expands his answer. "Well, you see, Ciara is at the garage and she is gushing over Ben and Ben is gushing over her. You know how it is with newlyweds." He makes a face as if the entire thing is abborant to him (she can kind of understand that sentiment). "I had to get out of there before they started making out on the tool bench or something. Figured I would get a shot of caffeine and figured you would need one too."

Despite the roundabout way he has gotten them there, she can't help but feel touched by the gesture. It feels more authentic than the flowers waiting at home for her. There are no invisible strings with a simple cup of coffee. "Thank you," she says quietly.

Maybe they would have gotten to sit there and enjoy their spontaneous moment. She will never know. Before Jake can say anything else, Li Shin is at her door. For a moment, he looks from Jake to Gabi and back to Jake again and there is something on his face that has Gabi wondering if he has read the scene for just what it is (and is jealous?). But then he straightens up and looks at her with a face that is all business.

"Mr. Shin," she begins and then she remembers his preference. "Li."

"Gabi," he says and smiles. He looks at Jake again and she knows he is having the same reaction so many others have. He is marveling over how much he looks like Stefan. He sticks his hand out.

Gabi stands quickly. "Li, this is Jake Lambert." She doesn't know yet what Jake thinks of the DiMera name now. Maybe they should actually talk about things like that. "Jake, this is Li Shin, one of the board members of _DiMera Enterprises_." She watches as the two shake hands and swear there is something going on between the two of them (and that she is the cause of it).

Li lets his hand fall away first and he turns his attention solely to Gabi. "I wanted you to know first hand from me," he begins. "But we have parted ways with Chad as the CEO of _DiMera Enterprises_."

Despite having this as a prominent feature on her mental vision board, she knows she looks stunned. She has assumed that is a lost cause. "What?"

"Yes," Li explains and he bows his head a little. "Unfortunately some new information has just come to light and we don't think it is in the company's best interests to have Chad be its representative."

"What?" Gabi repeats.

"It seems that Chad is the one responsible for drugging his wife."

" _What?_ "


	7. Part 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am back! I know it's been awhile but I am back at work for the year so my updates won't be as frequent as they have been in the summer. Thanks for understanding. And as you can see from the last chapter, I went a different route with the who drugged Abby mystery. I hope you enjoy my take on it!

Gabi is barely aware of how she gets to the DiMera mansion (okay, she knows that Jake is the one driving here there but she is in such a fog that she barely notices it - one moment she is in her store, the next she is storming up the path to her home). Her mind appears stuck on one thing: _Chad drugged Abby_. She can't quite seem to process it fully. It is as if she as soon as she gets to the integral part of that realization, her mind skips back to the shock of it instead and she has to start over again.

For all the times Chad has claimed to love Abby…

She takes a deep breath before she pushes open the door. She knows Jake is on her heels and she doesn't mind that he is. There is no need of him being here and she is not really giving him her full attention but still, he feels like backup in so many ways. The moment she steps inside of her house she hears voices. The murmuring sounds like a swarm of bees to her, angry pitches and then soft whispers mixing together. She follows it to the source and finds Chad, Jack, and Jennifer in the living room. It is clear from the look on his face that Jack is barely containing his anger while Jennifer does her best to play peacemaker. Chad, for his part, is slumped on the couch with his face in his hands.

Acting like the victim. It is enough to throw Gabi over the edge and into a rage fully.

She bursts into the situation with enough gusto to demand all the attention. All three heads swivel as she stands there shaking. Her eyes zero in on Chad. "So it was you?" she begins, her voice echoing her fractured emotions. "It was you all along. You did this to Abby - and then you had the _audacity_ to blame me…"

"Gabi…" It's Jennifer and her saccharine sweet voice trying to push Gabi off her warpath. But she will not be deterred (and honestly, she is confused as to why Jennifer is not lashing out at Chad alongside her).

"Oh no, no." Gabi's hand flies up, her finger pointed in Jennifer's direction. She is daring her to say something, daring her to push her into reacting more than she already is. She can turn up the volume, everyone in the room knows that. They are lucky she is as contained as she is. "This is my house. If you want to get in my way, I will gladly remove you from it."

Her focus goes back to Chad.

"You smug bastard," she continues, her tongue curving around the words to give them the appropriate edge. "You want to get rid of me so badly that you were willing to throw Abby under the bus along the way? The mother of children? Your _sainted_ wife? Oh wait, wait…" She laughs now, the sound hollow enough to bounce off the corners of the room. "Were the two of you in on this together? You concoct some scheme worthy of Stefano to get rid of me for good? It wouldn't be the first time Abby got it in her head to blame me for something I didn't do. Only it backfired and Abby lost her mind. I bet that really smarts huh? Knowing that despite all you have lost, I'm still standing. _Free_."

"Abby had nothing to do with this," Chad says quietly.

"So, you're just the sick man who drugged his wife and cost her her sanity?" Gabi shoots back automatically. She is vaguely aware of how Jack looks at Chad. She knows he wants to egg her on in some respects but the complicated history between her and his daughter prevents it. That is okay. She doesn't need a cheerleader. She just needs vindication and she is not budging until Chad gives it to her.

"I didn't mean to…"

She laughs again; this time it bubbles up in her chest and spills forth at his ridiculous attempt to push away responsibility. "And how does that work? You trip and spill a vial of mind altering drug into a glass of champagne? You may be a moron but I have never pegged you for a klutz."

Chad finally looks at her with some heat in his eyes. She is getting to him. Good, she hopes to push him over the edge where she is waiting below to catch him and rip him to pieces. She wants a good old fashion fight. She wants to feel justified when she chews him up and spits him out. It is what he deserves.

"I wasn't in my right mind," he says as he pushes himself off the couch. Jennifer moves in as if she is going to protect him, the man who cost her daughter so much it seems. "It was Stefano."

"Good excuse. Blame it on the dead man," Gabi says as she jerks her head towards the painting of Stefano hanging on the wall. She has no idea why she keeps it anymore. It is a creepy presence and even now it feels like he is watching over the situation with a sense of glee. But in the end, she thinks that she wants him to see her as the mistress of the house. She wants him to know that she took all the good things his son gave her and turned them into her own. This house might be DiMera in its bones but Gabi aims to make Hernandez its lifeblood.

"He was in my mind, Gabi. You know that," Chad tells her and his fingers curl together. She is aware of the subtle signs of his anger. She doesn't care about walking a fine line. She intends to walk all over him instead. "Stefano brainwashed me."

"From what I hear, it wasn't hard for him to do." She taps her chin, looking contemplative. "Does that say something about the intelligence of the subject?"

"Oh screw you, Gabi." Chad leans forward enough that suddenly it isn't Jennifer standing in neutral ground. It's Jake - and he has his arm out in front of Gabi as if it is a shield. "Another brother falling for Gabi's song and dance. And you're questioning whether or not I have brains?"

"You need to shut the hell up," Jake says, his voice gruff.

He wants to fight too. Maybe not as badly as Gabi in this moment but it is there, moving through him. Gabi can't help but beam with a bit of pride. She hasn't asked him to step in but she appreciates it. Something she shows by gently placing her fingers on his arm. "I'm grateful but I don't mind letting Chad run his mouth. He has no power here. His ability to act all high and mighty is done - replaced by the reality of the situation. I didn't drug Abigail. _He did_." She steps past Jake to square up with Chad once again. "So Stefano left you a little present in your subconscious…"

"He didn't like Abby," Chad says. "He did this to her because he didn't like her for his son."

"And he used his son to do it," Gabi adds. "Father of the year right there! I suppose he went for the two for one deal - get rid of Abby and frame me for the entire mess. Two disappointing daughter in laws in one foul swoop." She shifts her gaze over her shoulder to the portrait. "Too bad, Stefano. I am still standing. Despite your best efforts." She looks to Chad once more. "And yours."

"I didn't…"

"Oh save it," she interrupts, feeling her anger swell once more. She hates that in a way Chad does have an out. He can claim that he never meant to do this and in some respects he is right. If Stefano's reach beyond the grave can find him a body in Steve Johnson then it can also twist Chad's mind enough to do something he would never do. "You nearly cost me everything."

"It is not like you haven't earned it."

She does explode now. Truly. She surges forward until she is inches from Chad's face. "Never forget that my actions were driven by Abby putting me in jail falsely the first time around. She tried to take me from my baby and cost me the ability to have another. Blame it on Gabby or whatever alter, I don't care. In the end, _she_ did that to me. And you tried to do the same thing. You tried to pull me away from Arianna." She shakes her head, trying her best not to reach up and slap that look off his face. He has good enough sense not to try to look smug anymore. He knows he has screwed up badly. If he is smart, he will just keep his mouth shut and take what is coming to him before slinking away to lick his wounds. "I was minding my own damn business - hell, I even gave you and your family a place to live in the house my dead husband left me. I didn't have to do that, Chad but I did. Not because I wanted to earn points with you or Abby. I don't care what you think of me. I was thinking of Thomas and Charlotte - because I have learned my lesson in that regard." She knows she screwed up by making everyone believe that Charlotte was Stefan's. She blames her pain for pushing her in that direction but she has vowed never to go that route again. Abby and Chad - they are adults, they can fight their own battles. She feels no remorse in taking them on. But she will never drag the children into it again. "Unlike you, who clearly has never considered Arianna in any of the accusations you throw in my direction. You don't care about how that affects my daughter. You just want me out of your life so badly you're willing to break the law to do it. Tell me, did you know the whole time that you were blaming an innocent woman? Did you laugh at my trial as I pleaded my case and worried at the end of each day that I would land in jail without my daughter once more?"

Chad is silent now. Any snappy retort remains in that head of his. It is probably the smartest thing he has done thus far. Then he slowly shakes his head. "I didn't," he says quietly. "I only realized it all today. When the truth came flooding back. A whole series of memories - but I was just seeing them for the first time. Drugging Abby…"

Jack makes a pained noise as he hears the confession from his son in law again. "You said the doctors helped you."

"I thought they did. But Father got deeper than anyone realized."

"So you really can't be cured from brainwashing in two easy sessions? Who would have thought?" Gabi mutters sarcastically. "I guess we should all be thankful that his final parting shot wasn't for you to kill her."

Jennifer's eyes widen. "Don't say that."

"Look, if you want to forgive him for all of this that is between you folks and him," Gabi counters. "I'd love an apology for dragging me through this once more but I doubt I will get it from any of you. I can't even imagine Abby's reaction to all of this. What a fun conversation that will be. But hey, I don't want any part of it and I certainly don't want to live with someone who is unsafe…"

"I would never hurt Abby or anyone else. This wasn't me," Chad reasons.

Gabi holds up a hand to silence him. She doesn't want to hear anymore. Despite her initial desire to rip into him, it is not as satisfying as she wants it to be. Instead all she can think of is how close she came to losing Arianna again. "I don't care. You can't be sure that you're free from Stefano's suggestions given how this one reared its ugly head. So I want you out. I feel sorry that Thomas and Charlotte are going to lose their home but I can't have you here anymore. It was a stupid idea in the first place and now I am just trying to make sure that me and everyone else I care about is safe from the likes of you."

Chad's gaze slides towards Jake. "Does that include your husband's twin brother?"

"None of your business, Chad. From here on out, anything I do is _none of your business_." She says each word slowly, hitting the point home. "Now you have a few hours to gather your things and get the hell out of my house. Got it?"

"I…"

Once again, Jennifer intervenes. Gabi notices the way Jack looks at his wife. She has a feeling that things in the Deveraux household are going to be interesting from here on out. At one point, she would have wanted a front row seat to all the drama but right now she just wants to wash her hands of it all.

Thankfully, all three shuffle away, leaving her in the room with Jake. She looks at him as if she realizes properly for the first time that he is there. She takes a deep breath, trying to expel the rest of the emotions that are swirling around inside of her. She reaches out to touch his arm. "Thanks for the back up. It was not needed but thanks."

"Oh I know you could have laid him out if you wanted to," Jake says and he gives her a look like he is picturing it. "I almost wanted you to. But then I figured he would have thrown you in jail for assault or something as one last screw you."

Gabi laughs bitterly. "You're probably not wrong." Her shoulders slump a little. It is like all the fight is draining from her and she is left exhausted.

Jake steps forward a little. "Hey, hey, you okay?"

She takes a moment to decide how to answer that. "Not really," she finally admits. She finds herself in Jake's arms a moment later and she can't help but turn her head to press it against his chest. His heart is beating, loud and strong in her ear.

It lulls her in a way it shouldn't.


	8. Part 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for your support. Obviously we are fully off the rails of the direction of the show and forging our own path.

Somehow she had managed to sleep. _Alone_.

Jake had insisted on staying after it was all said and done. With Chad out of the house for good, she had felt strangely empty but at the same time, she had wanted it to be that way. Jake had argued but soon realized that she was not to be trifled with (a fact that had been apparent from the moment she had confronted Chad). So she had won out and slept longer than she had in weeks.

Now she sits on the couch, a cup of coffee in her hand. She still hasn't fully dressed for the day. She doesn't feel like herself. Something is off. Maybe it is just taking longer for things to settle in her mind. Although she has been vindicated she still can't wrap her head around it in the first place. Chad did this. He had nearly ruined her just as his wife had.

She supposes that she should feel some sort of victory in the fact that they both failed.

But she doesn't.

"Hey."

Her head jerks to the left and her fingers grip the mug tighter on reflex. Will stands in the entrance to the living room, looking out of place with his hands jammed into his pockets. She supposes this is not his favorite place to be but it is her home (something she intends to cement now that she is the sole occupant).

"Will," she says and then it hits her. He is close with Chad. Despite everything that has happened between her and Chad, Will has managed to stay in the middle. She takes in his appearance in light of that and sighs. "So you've heard?"

Will nods his head and moves to sink onto the couch next to. "Chad really did it?"

"He really did it," Gabi confirms, her tone benign. She is trying her best to remain calm. Picking a fight with Will over his support of Chad throughout the years will not go anywhere good. She feels a measure of revulsion at the words that pour out of her next but she figures she can offer an olive branch. "I am sorry. I know he is your friend."

He gives her an incredulous look and then can't help but snort. "You're being nice about this."

"Trust me, I wasn't last night," Gabi retorts immediately. She does not regret one word of what she had said. In fact, she is sure that she has thought of a few more to add if she ever gets the chance. "I am just glad the truth is out." It had been tiring - having half the town throw that particular accusation at her feet over and over. She hopes they are all eating a generous helping of crow for breakfast.

"What's going to happen to Chad?"

"I don't know," she answers. "And frankly, I don't care. A year or so ago, I would have wanted to burn the building down around him, make him pay for nearly throwing me in jail but I am tired, Will. I will let Abigail, her family and the authorities deal with him, although I am sure that he will play the _daddy made me do it_ card to the bitter end." She hates that it is a valid one and one that may let him off the hook. She just hopes if that happens Chad has the good sense to give her a wide berth. He has enough problems on his plate as it is, if he tries to add her she will forget that she is tired.

"For what it is worth, I never believed that you did it. Not even for a second," Will tells her and reaches over to cover her hand with his own.

Gabi can't help but soften at the gesture. She will always be grateful to both Will and Sonny for their support (even when she doesn't deserve it). She couldn't ask for better fathers for her daughter. "How's Arianna?" she asks. "I didn't get a chance to call her last night. There...was a lot going on."

"She understands," Will assures her. "Are we still meeting in the square for lunch like we planned?"

"Of course," she tells him and for the first time since the truth came out, she smiles widely. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

**X**

For the second time in less than a day, Li Shin is shown to her office.

Gabi has been expecting this meeting. In fact, she feels as if he is late. Will's visit had invigorated her and she was behind the desk of _GabiChic_ less than an hour after he left. Combine that with a family meal in the Square and she is riding on a high. Li Shin's arrival is the icing on her cake.

She knows why he is here - DiMera Enterprises is looking for a new CEO.

She does her best to look humble as he unbuttons his jacket so he can slide into the seat across from her. Her desk is currently littered with new projects but she won't let them slip when she is in the big chair. She is going to prove to them once and for all she should have been there all along. She can only imagine that the board members feel foolish trusting the company to a man who couldn't control his own actions. They are lucky that Stefano didn't leave any _presents_ for DiMera. As it is, they have a public relations nightmare on their hand but Gabi is confident that she can clean it up.

"Mr. Shin," she says politely. She is determined to keep this professional. Now that she knows how he looks at her when he thinks she is not paying attention, she will double her efforts to keep that line drawn (one messy romance in her life is enough at the moment; she doesn't need to add flirting with the boss to it). "I bet the last few twelve hours have been just as strange for you as they have been for me."

"In a sense," he says with a nod of his head. He smiles and Gabi is reminded how handsome he is. In another life (one where she hasn't fallen into bed with her dead husband's twin), maybe she would have pursued him. It certainly would not have been a bad match. "As you can imagine, the DiMera board has been scrambling to ensure that the damage is minimal."

"But it can't be avoided," she points out. "The former CEO drugged his wife and set up his sister in law. It's not a good look."

Li shakes his head. "The press does enjoy it when a company falters."

"The higher they are, the harder they fall," she points out and then leans back in her chair. She does her best to keep from blurting out the obvious: when will she be given the keys to the kingdom again?

"I spent the morning in meetings with the board trying to craft the perfect statement and of course, chart the path forward," Li tells her. For the first time she notices how tired he is. It shows around his eyes and his suit jacket has a few telltale wrinkles in it. She is willing to bet that those meetings started way before she even opened her eyes. Oh to be a fly on that wall. "Which is why I am here…"

Gabi decides that if she can't personally play a part in Chad's descent, she can take DiMera Enterprises to the top despite the damage he has done. While he falls, she will soar. _Finally_. She feels like she has survived everything the DiMera family has thrown at her thus far and has been able to come out on top.

(only life isn't that simple)

"I wanted you to hear it from me," Li began. "I am stepping into the role of CEO until a more permanent solution can be found."

Gabi feels as if the floor has fallen out from underneath her. "Excuse me?" Her features screw together, betraying the shock that had just jolted her system. "You're the new CEO?"

"For now," he says and the way he speaks tells her that he has been expecting this reaction.

Gabi shakes her head and then laughs. "But you are not even a DiMera!"

"The board thought it necessary to make an exception while we explored the options available to us."

She can't believe what she is hearing. "You mean me. While the board explores _me_. I am the obvious choice, Li. I have led before - and had success when I did so."

"It's not that simple…"

He is on the defense now and she intends to keep him there. "How is it not simple? Let's go over your choices, shall we? We have Tony, but we both know that Anna is not going to loosen his leash enough to let him do the job properly. There's EJ - no explanation necessary. Sami...well, she's Florence Nightengaling it for EJ, so she's out too. Kate...but she spends half her time dabbling with Titan too and can you really trust someone who would hop between beds like that? I am the only one left and right now, I am operating a very lucrative subsidiary of DiMera. You can't argue with the success that GabiChic has had!" In her mind, she dives across the desk to give Li Shin a shake. He obviously needs it right now. "So, I ask again - _how is it not simple_?"

Li holds his hands as if he knows he is on thin ice. He obviously wants to keep the peace and she almost feels bad that the board sent him to deliver the bad news. "I am not denying that you are not a hard worker. Dedicated to success. I said as much this morning _but_ …"

"Oh, I hate that word," she hisses.

"Right now we have an image crisis on our hands. Chad's crimes are serious and investors don't really enjoy giving money to a company headed by a criminal…"

Gabi settles in her seat, her features hardening as she does so. She doesn't need much prompting to read by the lines. "Ouch," she says, her voice terse. She can see Li flinch ever so slightly and she is glad of it. She hopes he understands what he is saying.

"Look, I didn't mean to come off as harsh as that sounds," he tells her, obviously trying to backtrack. Too late. That particular bell cannot be unrung. "Putting you in the chair right now is not ideal, despite your stellar credentials. We need to do some serious clean up and we can't give the press any reason to attack us. I am sorry if that upsets you."

She snorts, the sound echoing around them. "I am sure you are, Mr. CEO."

"As I said it is temporary."

"Damn right it is."

**X**

The thought doesn't hit here until after she has stewed in her office for long enough that Laura camps out in the storage room to avoid becoming the target of her wrath. She has envisioned so many ways of wiping that smile off Li Shin's handsome face but none of them get her access to the job she deserves.

So, she has a record. A lot of it could be explained away but she doubts the board (or the press) wants to sit for that long.

She will just have to go another way.

When the idea comes, she throws her hands up, angry with herself for not seeing it sooner. She grabs her purse and storms towards the door. "Laura, I am going out. You can come out of hiding now. There are purses to shelve."

It is not a long walk (nor an unfamiliar one). The smell of oil and gas causes her to wrinkle her nose but it does not deter her from her prize. She finds Jake with his upper half shoved under a car. She has no time to waste. They need to start now. She moves forward and toes at his thigh with her shoe.

She hears his cry of surprise, followed by a bang. Then a curse (there is going to be lots of work to do, she knows it already). Jake pulls himself out from underneath the car to look at her, a smear of grease across his forehead. "Gabi, what the _hell_?"

"Get up!" she tells him and nearly stomps her foot impatiently. "We have business to attend to."

"Come again," Jake repeats, his eyebrow sliding upwards.

She puts her hands on her hips and smiles, feeling confident despite the obstacles currently in her way. "I am going to make you the CEO of DiMera Enterprises."


End file.
